How to Velvet Meat

Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique commonly used in stir-frying. Meat or seafood are marinated in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch and rice wine, and then briefly blanched in oil or water before finishing off in the stir-fry process with other ingredients. The marinade acts as protective coat which seals moisture and keeps the meat from overcooking, resulting in meat morsels that are silky soft and lusciously tender.